Black People To Suffer From Ohio’s “Deep” Budget Cuts

Unpopular Republican Ohio governor John Kasich is proposing an $8 billion cut from his state’s 2011-13 budget. Despite the cut, reports indicate that it increases state spending by five billion dollars.

The Republican-controlled state House and Senate have already passed versions of the budget. Final passage is scheduled to come at the end of the month.

In response, the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus voted in opposition to the state budget last month to no avail. Despite failing to block passage, the Caucus continues to voice their displeasure with the governor’s bill.

“This budget slashes necessary services such as childcare vouchers, education funding and senior services, yet the Republicans have added 5 billion dollars in spending,” President Williams remarked. “By shifting the burden onto local government and communities, the middle class and minorities are disproportionally affected. This budget does nothing to address the underlying funding gaps, but increases them.”

Here are some of the cut areas:

State workers: Local governments are probably the biggest losers in Kasich’s budget, losing 50 percent of their funding by the second year of the plan. And prison workers worry that the provision to sell off Ohio’s prisons will lead to layoffs. Altogether, a report by think tank Innovation Ohio estimates, the budget will cause a loss of 51,000 state jobs.

People who enjoy learning and/or teaching stuff: Education loses 11.5 percent of its current funding in the Kasich budget. According to the Ohio Education Association, that would mean firing of 10,000 teachers. Cleveland schools are already planning to lay off at least 500 educators. At the university level, the cuts average 13 percent. Ohio State, one of the largest universities in the nation, soon will be presenting its plan to account for the deficit to its board. Spokeswoman Shelly Hoffma says the budget-balancing measures include early retirements, not filling vacancies, and raising tuition for the second year in a row.People who enjoy learning and/or teaching stuff: Education loses 11.5 percent of its current funding in the Kasich budget. According to the Ohio Education Association, that would mean firing of 10,000 teachers. Cleveland schools are already planning to lay off at least 500 educators. At the university level, the cuts average 13 percent. Ohio State, one of the largest universities in the nation, soon will be presenting its plan to account for the deficit to its board. Spokeswoman Shelly Hoffma says the budget-balancing measures include early retirements, not filling vacancies, and raising tuition for the second year in a row.